Lakers' Austin Reaves Reveals Moment 'Weight of the World' Was Off His Shoulders

Reaves went from undrafted rookie to NBA star playing alongside LeBron James and other Hall of Famers.

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

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Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves opened up about the moment he started to feel comfortable playing with superstars like LeBron James, Russell Westbrook, and Anthony Davis. Reaves said he was initially very nervous, but after making a no-look pass to James for a dunk, he felt the "weight of the world" lift off his shoulders and was able to just focus on playing basketball.

Why it matters

Reaves' journey from undrafted rookie to NBA star is an inspiring story, showing that hard work and perseverance can pay off even when playing alongside some of the greatest players of this generation. His ability to overcome the initial nerves of being in that environment and establish himself as a key contributor is a testament to his talent and mental toughness.

The details

Reaves said he was the first one in the gym the morning of his first practice with the Lakers, and when players like LeBron, Westbrook, and Anthony Davis started filing in, he was overwhelmed. But once they started playing, Reaves felt more at home. He said the moment he threw a no-look pass to LeBron for a dunk was when he felt the "weight of the world" lift off his shoulders and he could just focus on playing basketball.

  • Reaves made the no-look pass to LeBron during the 2025-26 NBA season.

The players

Austin Reaves

A guard for the Los Angeles Lakers who went from an undrafted rookie to an NBA star, currently averaging a career-best 25.4 points, 6.0 assists and 5.0 rebounds per game.

LeBron James

A future Hall of Fame forward for the Los Angeles Lakers and one of the greatest players of his generation.

Russell Westbrook

A veteran guard for the Los Angeles Lakers and a former NBA MVP.

Anthony Davis

A star forward for the Los Angeles Lakers and one of the best two-way players in the NBA.

Dwight Howard

A veteran center for the Los Angeles Lakers and a future Hall of Famer.

Carmelo Anthony

A veteran forward for the Los Angeles Lakers and a future Hall of Famer.

Rajon Rondo

A veteran guard for the Los Angeles Lakers and a former NBA champion.

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What they’re saying

“At first, I was super nervous. I remember I was the first one in the gym the morning of the practice. Everybody started filing in and it was Bron, Russ [Westbrook], Melo [Anthony], AD [Anthony Davis], Dwight [Howard]. And I'm sitting there thinking, What the hell is going on? So, I was definitely nervous at first. And then once we got to running up and down, I felt more at home and [it] just became [about] playing basketball. But there was one play in particular, we drove down, went past [Rajon] Rondo and then threw a no-look pass to Bron and he dunked it. And after that, it felt like the weight of the world was off my shoulders, and it was just time to play basketball.”

— Austin Reaves, Los Angeles Lakers Guard (SLAM)

What’s next

Reaves will look to continue his strong play and help the Lakers make a deep playoff run as they head into the second half of the 2025-26 NBA season.

The takeaway

Reaves' journey from undrafted rookie to NBA star playing alongside future Hall of Famers is an inspiring story of hard work, perseverance, and the ability to overcome initial nerves and self-doubt. His willingness to embrace the challenge and establish himself as a key contributor on a star-studded Lakers team is a testament to his talent and mental toughness.